Thursday, September 1, 2011


Postcard on the Run Turns Mobile Snapshots Into Mail
A new, Los Angeles startup, Postcard on the Run, started by MySpace veteran Josh Brooks, has launched today, allowing users to take a photo with any mobile device, and instantly send it as a real, printed postcard. The firm--headed by Josh Brooks, a former MySpace VP--said it makes it easy to create photo postcards using their mobile phone, existing photos, or photos posted on Facebook, automatically handling printing, postage, and delivery of those cards to friends. The firm said each postcard (More info...)
posted on Thursday, September 1, 2011(Full story)

Ventura Among Top Social Cities, Says Report
An analysis of the most social-media savvy cities, released this week, ranked the City of Ventura as number 4 in its list of cities with the most social companies, based on the social media usage of business people. According to NetProspex, a provider of business contact information, its analysis found that Ventura was fourth out of the top 25 social cities, behind San Francisco, San Jose, and New York. Ventura was tied with Austin, Texas for the position. Los Angeles and San Diego tied at 15 (a (More info...)
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GameSalad Powers Indian Anti-Corruption Takeoff Of Angry Birds
Los Angeles- and Austin-based GameSalad, the iOS game creation software firm founded by Michael Agustin, Dan Treiman, Tan Tran, and Joshua Seaver, has an unlikely hand in the anti-corruption issues facing the country of India, and Indian activist Anna Hazare: a video game called "Angry Anna". The game--a takeoff the popular Angry Birds smartphone games--was developed with GameSalad's software, and runs on HTML5 browsers and smartphones. GameSalad said the game has become a "viral hit" and has be (More info...)
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JibJab Launches Kids Books Line
Venice-based JibJab, the online entertainment site known for its humorous animated videos, has expanded into the children's book market, saying this week that it has launched a new brand which will create interactive children's books. JibJab said its new brand, JibJab Jr., will allow parents to create a book with their child's face, name, gender, and skin color as part of an animated story. The new stories will run on the Apple iPad, with a new title released every month. The first title is "Oce (More info...)
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Report: Amazon Dangles Jobs To Stem Tax Effort
E-commerce giant Amazon.com is apparently offering to set up two, distribution centers in California--one in Northern California, the other in Southern California--to convince lawmakers to drop their plan to tax the company's sales to California residents, according to a report today From the LA Times. According to the report, the proposal was made at a meeting of Amazon lobbyists and representatives of companies that belong to the California Retailers Assn. The move would mean the hiring of mor (More info...)
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My Compliance Info Acquired By Continuity Control
Coronado-based My Compliance Info, a provider of Internet-based compliance analysis, content, consulting, and other services for the financial industry, has been acquired by New Haven, Conn.-based Continuity Control. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed. Continuity Control said that My Compliance info founder Pam Perdue has joined the company as Chief Compliance Strategist. Continuity Control serves the community bank and credit union market. The firms said the transaction clo (More info...)
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Kinetic Traction Systems Signs European Partner
Chatsworth-based Kinetic Traction Systems, which is applying flywheel energy storage technology to the rail market, said today that it has partnered with Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited (Williams F1), on advancing and promoting its flywheel-based energy storage and recycling systems for the mass transit rail industry. According to the two companies, Williams F1 will market and support KTSi's flywheel systems in the rail and electrical grid sector under its own brand in Europe, the Middle (More info...)
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AeroVironment Gets $4.9M Contract
Monrovia-based Aerovironment, the developer of unmanned aircraft and other products, said today that it has received a $4.9 million contract fromt he U.s Army. The company said the contract covers its Switchblade agile munition, including engineering services and operational systems. Aerovironment's Switchblade is a portable air vehicle which launches from a small tube, and provides live color video and can be controlled and locked into a target by an operator. Once locked on, the Switchblade de (More info...)
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Interview with Gary Bishop, Network Automation
Our profile this morning is with Network Automation, a Los Angeles company competing in the IT automation market. Southern California--despite the lack of huge, name brand firms-- has a significant number of enterprise software companies, of which Network Automation is just one. We spoke with Gary Bishop, the firm's CEO, to learn more about the company. It's nice chatting with you again about your company--you're here in Los Angeles, aren't you?
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Fisker Automotive Taps BMW For Engines
Anaheim-based Fisker Automotive, the electric vehicle maker, said this morning that it has signed an agreement with BMW, where BMW will supply engines and other components for its future models. Fisker said that BMW will provide a four-cylinder, turbocharged engine for its next generation "Project Nina" car. Fisker said the agreement covers up to 100,000 engine units per year. Financial details of the deal were not announced.
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Hulu Launches In Japan
Los Angeles-based Hulu said late Wednesday that it has officially launched its subscription services in Japan, the first international launch for the company. Hulu said that its Japanese service has secured licensing deals with CBS, NBCUniversal International Television Distribution, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox, and The Walt Disney Company (Japan) for content, with plans to add Japanese-produced content and content from Asia in the future. Hulu is in a exclusive mobile mar (More info...)
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Sonos Hits One Million Rooms
Santa Barbara-based Sonos, the maker of user-friendly, wireless music systems, reports this morning that it has now deployed its systems into more than one million rooms. Sonos started shipping its systems in 2005. The company develops wireless music systems which can stream audio from a PC or the Internet to multiple rooms, and can easily be controlled using a controller, iPhone, iPad, or Android.
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QAD Partners With Tugboat For Software Configuration Management
Santa Barbara-based QAD, the developer of manufacturing resource planning software, said today that it has partnered with Tugboat Software to offer up software configuration management (SCM) to its customers. Terms of the partnership were not disclosed. QAD said the addition of software configuration management to its offerings will help its customers with controlling their internal IT systems and meeting compliance requirements. Tugboat Software is based in Newport Beach.
posted on Thursday, September 1, 2011(Full story)

Local.com Ties With Newspaper Publishing Co-op
Irvine-based Local.com, the operator of a network of local online business guides, said today that it has become a "preferred supplier" to PAGE Cooperative, a member-owned, cooperative buying association representing regional media publishers and newspapers. Local.com said the move will allow it to offer its local business directory and local business advertising solutions to PAGE members. The company said PAGE represents approximately 1,700 news publications throughout the U.S.
posted on Thursday, September 1, 2011(Full story)